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PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904.

- J J. RINK. (APPARATUS FOR vELFIJTROL-YTIO DECOMPOSITION OF ALKALI OHLORIDS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 4, 1902.

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No. 748,985. PATENTBD JAN. 5, 1904.

J. J. RINK.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTIC DECOMPOSITION OF ALKALI GHLORIDS.

. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1902..

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Patented January 5, 1904.

-- PATENT OFFICE.

JOHAN JACOB RINK, OF ELSINORE, DENMARK.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTIC DECOMPOSITION OF ALKALI CHLORlDS.

SPECIFICATION formingpm of Letters Patent film-748,985, dated January 5, 1904.

Application filed April 4, 1902. Serial No. 101.343. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known thatl, JoHAN JAooB RINK, a citizen of the Kingdom of Denmark, residing in Elsinore,-in the Kingdom of Denmark, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Electrolytical Decomposition of Alkaline Ohlorids, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved electrolytical apparatus of the general type in which is used a cathode of mercury moving along the bottom of the apparatus and exposed alternately to the effects of the working current for the purpose of absorbing the alkaline metal andto a combining action for the regeneration of the mercury. The latest type of apparatus of this kind consists of a series of cells containing alternately chlorid and lye, by which arrangement it is rendered possible to set in movement a proportionately large surface of mercu ry by means of a simple mechanical device, such as a pump, a worm, paddle-wheel, or the ike.

The present invention relates to improvements in the above kind of apparatus, so as to secure the more effective working of the same; and for this purpose the invention consists in the combination, with a horizontallymoving mercury cathode, of a series of combining-cells without anodes and a series of decomposition-cells provided with anodes,

said combining-cells being of such dimensions that they expose about twicethe area of surface to the solvent in the combining-cell as the cathode-surface exposed in the decompositiou-cells and'arranged transversely of the same; and the invention consists, further, in certain other combinations of parts, which will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section on line 1 1, Fig. 2, with parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a top view, partly in horizontal section, with parts broken away and the cover of the apparatus removed; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a water-tight receptacle or vat of suitable size may be made of any suitable conducting matorial, similar to that of the vessel A. Each cell a is open at the bottom and supported by means of suitable lugs a. a in position, with the side walls b of the same slightly raised from the bottom 2 of the vessel A. At its upper portion each cell a is provided with a row of perforations, and through said perforations extend anodes f, composed of any suitable conducting material not liable to be afiected by the solution employed in said cells. The anodesfare each insulated from the cell a by means of suitable washers a of insulating material, which washers also. serve to close the openings securely, so as to render the cell air-tight at its upper portion. The anodes of each cell are electrically connected by means of suitable conductors b, which are connected to a main conductor or bar b which passes to the outside of the vessel A through a suitable insulating-gasket b Within the vessel A at one side of the same is arranged an inclined trough x, which communicates at its lower end with a guide u, which extends across the vessel A at oneend of the same at the outer side of the end cell a, so that the mercury is delivered bythe guide 1!. over the full width of the cell. Mercury is supplied to the trough as at its upper end from a trough t, to which mercury from the employed so that the same closes the lower part of the cells a, while at the same time constantly flowing and passing the successive cells in the direction indicated by the arrows Zin Figs. 1 and 2. Electric current is supplied to the cells through the conductors b 1), passes thence into the anodes f, across the space between the lower ends of the same and the mercury h, which forms the cathode, and thence through the wall of the vessel A, and returns to the source of power by conductor (1 The cells a ct are narrow in the direction of motion of the mercury, and between each two cells is an open space g, said spaces being connected at one end by or terminate in a channel or compartment 0 at the opposite side of the vessel from conduitp. It will thus be seen that the two series of cells are formed namely, the cells a and the cells g-the cells of each series extending between the cells of the other series and transversely to the direction of flow of the mercury cathode. The cells 9 are termed com bining-cells, as the regeneration of the mercury or leaching out from the same of the substance or substances absorbed in the decomposition-cells a takes place therein.

The vessel A is provided with an exterior trough r and with a tight cover g, which fits in the said trough. Water or other suitable liquid is placed in the trough, thereby forming a seal and tightly closing the top of the vessel against the escape of gas.

For using the apparatus a solution of an alkaline chlorid-for example, an aqueous solution of common salt (NaCl)is placed in the cells a and conduitp and a solution of water or lye is placed in the cells 9 and channel 0. The liquid solution of chlorid may be introduced through suitable openings at e at the ends of the conduitp and the water or lye introduced into the cells 9 by removing the cover q. When the cells are charged to the desired heightfor example, as indicated in the drawingsthe electric current is turned on and the paddle-wheel s set in motion. The current decomposes in the cells a the alkaline chlorid solution,(NaOl,) for example, and the chlorin is liberated as a gas and escapes into the space above the liquid in the cells, the alkali metal, as sodium, combines with and is absorbed by the mercury flowing into the cell at the bottom of the same, and the resulting amalgam flows out of the cell a into the adjacent combining-cell g. The cells a being narrow in the direction of the flow of mercury, the degree of amalgamation is kept very low. In the combining-cell the sodium, owing to its strong affinity for oxygen, leaves the mercury and decomposes the water in the cell, combining with the oxygen of the same and liberating the hydrogen, which rises and occupies the space above the liquid in the cells g. The mercury being thus regenerated flows on to the next cell ct, where the decomposing of the chlorid solution in the same takes place, amalgam of the mercury with the alkali metal is again formed, and the metal separated from the amalgam in the next comhining-cell, this series of operations being continued throughoutthe series of cells. After leaving the last cell the mercury is raised by the paddle-wheel s and discharged into trough i, from which it flows into trough 00 and guide tt and thence again through the cells.

Asitis of importance that the moving sheet of mercu ry should be very thin, the bottom zof the vessel A is provided within the cells a with raised portions 6, which are but slightly below the level of the mercury, so that the mercury will flow over the same in a very thin sheet or layer and only the most strongly amalgamated mixture will be carried forward. Similar raised portions (not shown in the drawings)may be provided in the cells g, so that only the most thoroughly leached mercury is carried forward to the next decomposition-cell.

In the apparatus hitherto used for the electrolytical decomposition of alkaline chlorids employingamoving mercurycathodethe cells were of nearly equal length and breadth,and in the use of the same it has been found that the mercury takes up the alkaline metal at the entering end willingly, while at the leaving end it not alone takes up the alkaline metal unwillingly, but has a strong tendency to force the absorbed alkaline metal again into solution. Obviously the eificiency is thereby considerablydecreased. In some of these apparatus several anodes are arranged next to each other in the direction of the mercury. The mercury particle having passed the numerous anodes absorbed alkaline metal to so high a degree that it acts anoidal in comparison to the mercury particle just entering the other side of the cell. To obviate these objections, I arrange the decomposition-cells narrow in the direction of the movement of the mercury and make the same of about three to five centimeters in width, with ten centimeters as a maximum, and the combining-cells of about twice the width of the decomposition-cellsthat is, the combining-cells are of such dimensions that they expose about twice the area of surface to the solvent in the combining-cell as the cathode-surface exposed in said decomposition-cells. These dimensions are solely given by way of illustration, and I do not wish to limit myself to the same, inasmuch as when a high amperage is used the dimensions are made correspondinglylarge. This relatively small width of the cells, which keeps the degrees of amalgamation of the mercury low, permits the relativelysmall width of the combining-cells and an advantageous distribution of the working current.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In an apparatus for the electrolytical decomposition of alkaline chlorids, the combination, with a horizontally-moving mercury cathode, of a series of combining-cells without anodes, and a series of decompositioncells provided with anodes, said combiningcells being of such dimensions that they expose about twice the area of surface to the solvent in the combining-cell as the cathodesurface exposed in said decomposition-cells, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for the electrolytical decomposition of alkaline chlorids, the combination, with a horizontally-moving mercury cathode, of a series of combining-eellswithout anodes, and a series of decompositioncells provided with anodes, said combiningcells being of such dimensions that they expose about twice the area of surface to the solvent in the combining-cell as the cathodesurface exposed in said decomposition-cells, said decomposition-cells having a width of about three to five centimeters, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for the electrolytical decomposition of alkaline chlorids, the combination with a horizontally-moving cathode, of

a series of combining-cells without anodes, and a series of decomposition-cells provided with anodes, both of said series of cells being narrow in the direction of the movement of the mercury and arranged transversely to the same, said combining-cells having a width of about ten to twenty centimeters and the decomposition-cells a width of about three to five centimeters, substantially as set forth.

4. In an apparatus for the electrolyti'caldecomposition of alkaline chlorids, the combination with a horizontally-moving cathode, of a series of combining-cells without anodes, a compartment in which one of the ends of the combining-cells terminates, a series of decomposition-cells provided with anodes, and a compartment in which one of the ends of the decomposition-cells terminates, the cells of one series being arranged so as to extend between the cells of the other series, substantially as set forth.

5. In an apparatus for the electrolytical decomposition of alkaline chlorids, the combination,with a horizontally-moving cathode, of a series of combining-cells without anodes, a-series of decomposition-cells provided with anodes, said combining-cells being of such dimensions that they expose about twice the area of surface to the solvent in the combining-cell as the cathode-surface exposed insaid decomposition-cells, a common bottom for said cells, and transverse raised portions on said bottom of a height slightly below the mercury cathode, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for the electrolytical clecomposition of alkaline chlorids, comprising a receptacle having a bottom with raised portions and provided with compartments at either side, a horizontally-moving mercury cathode passing along said bottom and over the raised portions,a series of combining-cells without anodes terminating in one of said compartments, and a series of decompositioncells terminating in the other compartment, said combining-cells being of such dimensions that they expose about twice the area of surface to the solvent in the combiningcell as the'cathode-surface exposed in said decomposition-cells, the cells of one series being arranged so as to extend between the cells of the other series of cells, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OHAN JACOB RINK.

Witnesses:

E. BOUTARD, EMIL MOURITZEN. 

